Youth Roving Reporters 2017/2018

Youth Roving Reporters is All Classical Portland’s arts journalism mentorship program. Six young people have been selected as Youth Roving Reporters for All Classical Portland in order to learn key storytelling skills and emerge as arts ambassadors for their communities. The All Classical Portland On-Air team will mentor these young reporters, providing them with guidance and insight on what it is to be a broadcaster and arts leader in their community. Each youth reporter will identify two arts events happening in their community that they would like to cover. The reporters (and their families) will then be given event tickets, connected to the artists involved to interview, and provided the tools and training to produce their reporting content. The content created will be shared on All Classical Portland’s website, social media and on-air. The goal is to award this scholarship to youth from regions across the entire state providing equal opportunity to youth in rural areas of Oregon and SW Washington as well as the Portland metro area.

Aashna MacLennan

I am a sophomore at Oregon Episcopal School in Portland, Oregon. My passions include singing in the Oregon Repertory Singers Youth Choir and dancing Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance, at the Natya Leela Dance Academy.

Arden Butterfield

I’ve played cello for eight years, and have been composing music for almost as long. I like filmmaking, math, local history, and the joy of learning a new skill.

I am a freshman at Catlin Gabel School who enjoys competitive swimming, participating in plays, binge-watching Netflix and eating bacon. I have also been playing classical piano for nine years and have finally felt comfortable at performing. All of that hard work must’ve paid off since I have won a few awards at local music festivals and competitions.

In my studies, I attend West Salem High School and perform in the school’s Symphony and Chamber Orchestras. Along with my passion for music, I also enjoy the more mechanistic classes provided, such as math, government, science and writing courses. However, I also make time to spend with friends and family and, perhaps, play water polo. I am excited to begin creating a name and image for myself and my writing.

I am a senior from Woodland, WA currently enrolled in the Running Start program at Clark College. I’m an accomplished violist, as well as a very active participant in musical events around the Vancouver, Portland area. One day, I hope to become a professional musician, sharing my love of music with the world.

Sophia Suhler

I’m a sophomore at Lake Oswego High School and I play in the Jazz band and Sing in the choir. Outside of school I participate in MYS and PYJO. When I’m not playing music or doing homework I can be found playing with my dogs or drawling. And I’m thrilled about this opportunity as a way to work on my writing and an outlet to express my creativity and unique writing style.